Joe Genius Silences Critics. At least for a few days.

I was observing the ALCS Game 6 pregame when I witnessed some premature 2nd guessing of Girardi, before any pitch had been tossed. “Start CC” the well dressed pundit said with confidence.

His “point” was that CC Sabathia is fully rested and they should not be thinking about Game 1 of the World Series. So basically he was saying tell Pettite the all time winningest post season pitcher that you have no confidence in him and you will go with CC.

 
They also questioned Girardi for starting Swisher. How did those decisions turn out?

Pettite pitched lights out for seven innings and CC will pitch Game 1 of the World Series fully rested. Swisher made some key defensive plays, including doubling up Guerrero and coming through with a crucial hit in the 3 run 4th inning.

Girardi did his home work on Swisher and determined he matched well against Saunders. Most managers would have benched Swisher after his lack of performance but Girardi stuck with him. However, my favorite move of all was closing the bridge to Riveria and allowing him to come in at the start of the 8th inning.

The game 6 pregame analysts proved to be wrong in their criticism, what about sport fans?
 

While speeding into work today, I was listening to a sports radio program when a caller said, “I am a red sox fan”, I was already smirking, he continued “though the Yankees are talented, they are winning because they have a cohesive team and it seems everyone likes each other. I wish we had that this year” By gosh he gets it. Ergo it’s not just talent alone, managing is an important component.

To let talented players play alone doesn’t work, to remind one of this, one just has to rewind the last 8 years of Yankee baseball. Often the most talented players and biggest payrolls don’t win it all.

The key is to make ordinary players play better and great players play great. Girardi proved the first part of that before when he won the NL manager of the year award by working with mediocre talent in Florida. The second part he is doing with the Yankees.

 
Truth is the players are only part of it. The league is stacked with talented players, but if they are not managed well they won’t advance.

The Yankees are going to the World Series, Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlin were 17 the last time that happened. Keep in mind the Yankees did not make the playoffs in 2008 and they started 2009 struggling, even though they had the same players they have today.

We had many fans and pundits letting their opinions known after each game. When they win it’s the players, when they lose its Girardi’s fault. This went on all season long, but In the end Girardi didn’t over manage, he out managed.

 Finally, I am still dumfounded at the unfair criticism directed at Girardi over ALCS Game 5. Fans were ranting that Girardi either should have left Burnett in, or took him out at the start of the inning. It’s not unusual for fans to be worry warts, but in their hostility toward Girardi they miss his calm brilliance. Without question Girardi made some calls that didn’t work out in Game 3, but without any doubt the Yankees not hitting with RISP was a bigger contributor to their loss Game 5.